The days when F’lar evaded a direct answer were now past. He smiled reassuringly. “He’s on his feet. Not much the worse for wear,” although F’nor would never lose the scars on the cheek where particles had been forced into the bone. “Canth’s wings are healing, though new membrane grows slowly. He looked like raw meat when they got back, you know. There wasn’t a hand-span on his body, except where F’nor had lain, that hadn’t been scoured bare. He has the entire Weyr hopping to when he itches and wants to be oiled. That’s a lot of dragon to oil.” F’lar chuckled as much to reassure Corman who looked uncomfortable hearing a list of Canth’s injuries as in recollection of the sight of Canth dominating a Weyr’s personnel.

“Then the beast will fly again.”

“We believe so. And he’ll fight Thread, too. With more reason than any of us.”

Corman regarded F’lar levelly. “I can see it’s going to take Turns and Turns to grub the continent thoroughly. This forest,” and he gestured to the plantation of hardwood saplings, “my corner on Keroon plains, the one valley in Telgar, used all the grubs it’s safe to take from Southern this Turn. I’ll be dead, long since, before the job is finished. However, when the day comes that all land is protected, what do you dragonmen plan to do?”

F’lar looked steadily back at the Keroon Holder, then grinned at Asgenar who waited expectantly. The Weyrleader began to laugh softly.

“Craft secret,” he said, watching Asgenar’s face fold into disappointment. “Cheer up, man,” he advised, giving the Lord of Lemos an affectionate clout on the shoulder. “Think about it. You ought to know by now what dragons do best.”

Mnementh was settling carefully in the small clearing in response to his summons. F’lar closed his tunic, preparatory to flying.

“Dragons go places better than anything else on Pern, good Lord Holders. Faster, farther. We’ve all the southern continent to explore when this Pass is over and men have time to relax again. And there’re other planets in our skies to visit.”

Shock and horror were mirrored in the faces of the two Lord Holders. Both had had lizards when F’nor and Canth had taken their jump between the planets; they’d known intimately what had happened.

“They can’t all be as inhospitable as the Red Star,” F’lar said.

“Dragons belong on Pern!” Corman said and honked his big nose for emphasis.

“Indeed they do, Lord Corman. Be assured that there’ll always be dragons in the Weyrs of Pern. It is, after all, their home.” F’lar raised his arm in greeting and farewell and bronze Mnementh lifted him skyward.

Dragondex

THE WEYRS IN ORDER OF FOUNDING